The Ford Motor Company has issued a safety recall for a staggering number of Maverick pickup trucks. More specifically, the population comprises 242,669 vehicles manufactured in the period between February 3, 2021 and March 21, 2024.
According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the body control module features iffy software that might incorrectly detect a current overload on either or both rear position lamp circuits. In other words, one or both lamps could be inadvertently deactivated.
The BCM software-related condition does not affect the stop lamps, turn signals, or headlights. If you're curious why the BCM turns off the taillights after falsely detecting a current overload, that's fairly straightforward. As per the document attached below, the BCM's current threshold was calibrated to the current draw for one bulb, while the rear lamps feature two position bulbs on one circuit.
Ford says the body control module is manufactured by Robert Bosch LLC of Farmington Hills, Michigan. However, the Dearborn-based automaker does not mention whether the BCM software comes from Bosch or a different supplier. As you might have guessed by now, the remedy for this problem is updated calibration for the body control module.
No fewer than five software calibrations are in the offing, with said updates bearing part numbers NZ6T-14G162-BB, NZ6T-14G162-CB, NZ6T-14G162-EB, NZ6T-14G162-HB, and NZ6T-14G162-FB. Dealers have already been instructed to perform the BCM update at no charge to affected customers, who are to be informed by first-class mail in the period between May 20 and May 24.
Photo: Ford
The nearly quarter-million recall population was produced for the 2022 through 2024 model years at Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly in Mexico. This plant employs almost 2,900 people, of which approximately 300 are hourly workers. In addition to the unibody truck, Hermosillo is also tasked with producing the Bronco Sport. Rather than a body-on-frame SUV like the actual Bronco, the Bronco Sport shares its unibody platform (dubbed C2) with the Maverick, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and Nautilus.
The Critical Concern Review Group was informed about the issue pertaining to the Maverick's BCM calibration on February 6. The Ford Product Development Lighting Systems team had previously identified a worrying level of diagnostic trouble codes related to inoperative rear lamps logged in connected vehicle data for vehicles in the field. The connected vehicle data shows that 4,727 distinct vehicles have set diagnostic trouble codes related to taillight deactivation, of which 1,555 vehicles did so for both taillights.
Thus far, FoMoCo has received 11 warranty claims for the described problem. Thankfully for owners and Ford's legal team alike, the Blue Oval is not aware of accidents or injuries related to the inadvertent deactivation of the Maverick's taillights.
To be refreshed for model year 2025, the Maverick is currently priced at $23,815 for the front-wheel-drive XL EcoBoost and $25,315 for the FWD-only XL Hybrid. The Maverick also happens to be America's favorite small truck, for it sold 39,890 units in the first quarter of 2024 versus 8,417 units of the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The only other unibody truck on sale in the United States as of May 2024 is the mid-size Honda Ridgeline, which moved 12,918 examples in the first three months of the year.
⚠️ Recall Alert
Certain 2022-2024 Ford Maverick vehicles.
Recalled for faulty tail lights that may fail.https://t.co/CQgoiMkytz
— NHTSA Recalls & Ratings (@NHTSArecalls) May 1, 2024
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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